Piggy still in pain and unable to eat after dental treatment

[MaggieCS]

Hello, I have been reading forum posts and advice for ages as I have 3 now elderly piggies, all rescue and none of them had good starts in life. My neutered boar started showing difficulty eating a couple of weeks ago although at the time I was not sure what was going on, and thought maybe he was just slowing down due to age. When he ate, occassionaly he would seem to gag on veggies, but sorted himself out. He was also eating much more slowly. Last Saturday he stopped eating all together. In retrospect, I should have paid attention to the signs and got him to a vet sooner, and I am feeling very guilty about that.
I saw the emergency vet (not exotic) at our local practice (Exeter, Devon) on Saturday who prescribed metacam and gut stimulant as he wasn't passing faeces, even though I was certain it was dental, but she couldn't see anything wrong with his teeth. She advised me to assist feed, which I was already doing and have been ever since. He was worse on Sunday and I spoke to the vet on the phone asking for an xray, but she said it would be best to see the exotic vet as an emergency on Monday who would be able to xray him under GA and do any dental work at the same time.
Spoonie was booked in and the exotic vet assured us he had done dental work before, and the xray apparently showed a spur bridge right at the back of the mouth entrapping his tongue. We picked up Spoonie and the vet had filed his molars, removed the spurs and also filed down his incisors which I didn't think were causing a problem, but he felt were too long. He said the tongue was sore but that he would pick up in 24 hours.
That was Monday, it is now Wednesday and Spoonie is no better. He is drooling, can't stand the syringe for feeding in his mouth, can't take any food even the smallest piece of veg, is losing weight despite assisted feeding every couple of hours, is lethargic and clearly still in pain. I have another appointment for the vet this afternoon, but am not sure I have much confidence in him. He is new to the practice as the 2 good exotic vets have left.

I have tried to phone the Northampton vet for an appointment with Simon, but they are booked up and there is no appointment until 14th April!

Please can anyone recommend a good exotic dental vet, in Devon ideally, but I don't mind travelling. However I would be concerned about taking a very sick piggy too far.
Otherwise, what else could I / the vet have missed? I have Googled this extensively and found out about oral thrush, chelitis, etc, but I still think it is dental.

Please can you advise! Thank you!

 

[Wheekallweek]

How did you get on at the vets today?

Such a shame Northampton can't get you in. Maybe if you can get your vet to phone them and stress it's an emergency they might be able to squeeze him in?

I'm not from the Devon area so couldn't recommend anywhere I'm afraid, but I'm sure there are members local to you who should see this soon.

Bets of luck to you and Spoonie

 

[MaggieCS]

How did you get on at the vets today?

Such a shame Northampton can't get you in. Maybe if you can get your vet to phone them and stress it's an emergency they might be able to squeeze him in?

I'm not from the Devon area so couldn't recommend anywhere I'm afraid, but I'm sure there are members local to you who should see this soon.

Bets of luck to you and Spoonie

Thank you! Actually the vet was really good and I feel a bit bad for not having confidence in him. He gave Spoon a thorough exam and couldn’t see a reason he wasn’t able to eat. I have more pain meds and he is hoping that it is as simple as his teeth/jaw are still sore from the dental work. I will continue to assist feed until the weekend and see if Spoon is any better. If not, he will have him back in for a further X-ray.

 

[Gem789]

I'm sorry you're going through this,in regards to getting an appointment at the cat and rabbit clinic.Ring at exactly 8 on the dot to get an emergency appointment,I always do and have always been able to get an appointment.I wait from around 7.57 and as soon as the clock changes to 8 o'clock I ring them.

 

[cortney]

I been going through same since Friday of last week! Wicket lost more weight and i upped CC it was every two hours 20 Mls and honestly i am exhausted and pain meds to twice a day. Vets still felt it was him adjusting to teeth and likely some pain touch base today i booked an appointment was he was having difficulty picking up hay to eat. As soon as i booked got home left work early been feeding him and now he is eating a bit more hay and gained a bit and seems better but i am watching closely. He is going to vet to be checked i honestly want to be sure.

So keep feeding your little one, try to cut up hay in smaller pieces the most senior vet at my exotic clinic was wet it a bit and keep going. Your little one could be sore and honestly poop soup for helping gut works wonders. Hopefully you will see an improvement. I know it doesn't help with your stress or concern but your doing everything you can and hopefully eating will resume and soon be on his way.

This was first time in four guinea pigs that had dental that i had issue with eating and weight lose after work being done. Previous ones would eat not poop and i was constantly monitoring and then when they started i was counting how many a day. These little ones know how to stress us but give big love

Keep us posted. i know it is scary and concerning big hugs

 

[MaggieCS]

Last night Spoonie started getting a lot of blood in his pee and vocalising when passing it. He has not had this before. I was also struggling to get critical care and water into him although a tiny bit was going in. I spoke to the vet this morning who advised to keep going with his water and critical care with more regular smaller amounts and monitor it. Spoon had his metacam and didn’t seem to be in pain other than when peeing. The vet thought it could still be a reaction to the dental procedure as he felt his teeth would still be sore. Since then (3 hours later) Spoonie is still not taking water or critical care and it is mostly dribbling out of his mouth. He is now peeing with red mucousy blood clots and white sticky ‘goo’ which is very gritty. Could the filings from his teeth gone through him into his bladder? I am so concerned and I don’t want him suffering. Has anyone come across this with a positive outcome? I am seriously wondering if this is just too much for him now He currently asleep and dreaming on my lap I am waiting on the vet to phone back.

 

[MaggieCS]

I been going through same since Friday of last week! Wicket lost more weight and i upped CC it was every two hours 20 Mls and honestly i am exhausted and pain meds to twice a day. Vets still felt it was him adjusting to teeth and likely some pain touch base today i booked an appointment was he was having difficulty picking up hay to eat. As soon as i booked got home left work early been feeding him and now he is eating a bit more hay and gained a bit and seems better but i am watching closely. He is going to vet to be checked i honestly want to be sure.

So keep feeding your little one, try to cut up hay in smaller pieces the most senior vet at my exotic clinic was wet it a bit and keep going. Your little one could be sore and honestly poop soup for helping gut works wonders. Hopefully you will see an improvement. I know it doesn't help with your stress or concern but your doing everything you can and hopefully eating will resume and soon be on his way.

This was first time in four guinea pigs that had dental that i had issue with eating and weight lose after work being done. Previous ones would eat not poop and i was constantly monitoring and then when they started i was counting how many a day. These little ones know how to stress us but give big love

Keep us posted. i know it is scary and concerning big hugs

Thank you and fingers crossed for Wicket! You are doing well to get that amount in him. At best I could only get 7mls every 2 hours. I’ve been doing this since last Saturday and sleeping on the sofa so I don’t disturb my partner! Totally exhausted! They really do know how to stress us Big hugs back atcha!
Spoonie is a rescue and had a very poor start in life from a backyard breeder. He has had lots of health problems over the 5 years I have had him, and each one is getting harder for him to pull through. I had truly hoped that as dental wasn’t invasive surgery this would have been easier on him.

 

[cortney]

Last night Spoonie started getting a lot of blood in his pee and vocalising when passing it. He has not had this before. I was also struggling to get critical care and water into him although a tiny bit was going in. I spoke to the vet this morning who advised to keep going with his water and critical care with more regular smaller amounts and monitor it. Spoon had his metacam and didn’t seem to be in pain other than when peeing. The vet thought it could still be a reaction to the dental procedure as he felt his teeth would still be sore. Since then (3 hours later) Spoonie is still not taking water or critical care and it is mostly dribbling out of his mouth. He is now peeing with red mucousy blood clots and white sticky ‘goo’ which is very gritty. Could the filings from his teeth gone through him into his bladder? I am so concerned and I don’t want him suffering. Has anyone come across this with a positive outcome? I am seriously wondering if this is just too much for him now He currently asleep and dreaming on my lap I am waiting on the vet to phone back.

oh no! I don't believe its teeth but not a vet Blood in urine is usually bladder issue but again not a vet. But this definitely explains the not eating. He will need to go in keep us posted. I didn't realize Spoonie's tough start to life so happy he has you as an owner and these little ones are fighters! So give him lots of love and pain meds will help. have you tried giving him water with 1ml syringe that might at help to get fluids in and keep him hydrated.

 

[MaggieCS]

oh no! I don't believe its teeth but not a vet Blood in urine is usually bladder issue but again not a vet. But this definitely explains the not eating. He will need to go in keep us posted. I didn't realize Spoonie's tough start to life so happy he has you as an owner and these little ones are fighters! So give him lots of love and pain meds will help. have you tried giving him water with 1ml syringe that might at help to get fluids in and keep him hydrated.

Thank you! Yes using a 1ml syringe for water and feed. He can at best, take 0.5ml but even then some dribbles out of his mouth. I am wondering if the powder/filings from his teeth went down his throat whilst under GA and through him into his bladder. He didn’t have this before he had the dental procedure, but maybe there was a bladder stone that shifted when he was manipulated under the anaesthetic.

 

[cortney]

Thank you! Yes using a 1ml syringe for water and feed. He can at best, take 0.5ml but even then some dribbles out of his mouth. I am wondering if the powder/filings from his teeth went down his throat whilst under GA and through him into his bladder. He didn’t have this before he had the dental procedure, but maybe there was a bladder stone that shifted when he was manipulated under the anaesthetic.

get him to vet because if not drinking eating this needs their expertise hope you get in today. hugs

 

[Piggies&buns]

Filings from his teeth would not have gone into his bladder. If it was even a thing that filings were swallowed, they would go into the gut and would be mixed in with the poop but would not go anywhere near the bladder.
There is something else going on for him to have blood in his urine.

When you say he can manage 0.5ml at best - do you mean at one time? If so then piggies can generally only hold around 0.3ml of liquid/food in their mouth at a time, need to swallow that and can then take another 0.3ml.

I hope he is ok

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[MaggieCS]

Just back from the vet and Spoon is now flying with the angels in the eternal meadow His gut was failing as I couldn’t get food in him, he was too weak for further GA to sort his teeth and he hadn’t peed for a long time so I was concerned there was a blockage. I shall miss him terribly

 

[MaggieCS]

Filings from his teeth would not have gone into his bladder. If it was even a thing that filings were swallowed, they would go into the gut and would be mixed in with the poop but would not go anywhere near the bladder.
There is something else going on for him to have blood in his urine.

When you say he can manage 0.5ml at best - do you mean at one time? If so then piggies can generally only hold around 0.3ml of liquid/food in their mouth at a time, need to swallow that and can then take another 0.3ml.

I hope he is ok

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Thank you for your reply. No it was 0.5 in total at any one sitting - usually over an hour or so. Sadly he was just shutting down - I knew it really.

 

[weepweeps]

Oh no. I’m so sorry Spoon has made his way over the bridge. You’ve done everything you could. Take care

 

[Wheekallweek]

Oh no! Poor Spoon, RIP little fella

 

[cortney]

Poor baby Spoon. I am so sorry for your loss. Rest in peace little one and popcorn free until we meet you again

 

[MaggieCS]

Thank you all for your kind words and support.

 

[CTWC]

I am so sorry to hear this look after yourself as you grieve
Popcorn happily over The Rainbow Bridge Spoon in fields of all of your favourite treats and with lots of new friends